In L, you are what you drive. The protagonist, aged 40, is a more than dedicated driver. His work is literally his life and his car is more than a means of transport. He lives in his car and receives his family at fixed times. His employer is a rich narcoleptic who can’t drive. The driver, known as the Man, provides him with special honey. But when an even better driver comes along, the Man loses his job and decides to look for another means of transport.
Aris Servetalis, who can also be seen in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Alps, plays the Man without batting an eyelid. Whether he’s talking seriously to his children, listening to a friend or just has his eyes on the road, he always focuses intensely on what he is doing.
With a screenplay by Efthimis Filippou (Dogtooth, Alps) it’s not surprising that the absurdist tone recalls Lanthimos’ films. L is also akin to Attenberg by Athina Rachel Tsangari. But Babis Makridis distinguishes himself from his colleagues because he allows his film to be even more abstract. L is a unique combination of comedy and existential drama. A debut film filled with bizarre dialogues, a stuttering Moonlight Sonata and a song about bears.
Film details
- Country of production
- Greece
- Year
- 2012
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2012
- Length
- 87"
- Medium/Format
- 35mm
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